Mohamed Salah is in the form of his life at Liverpool.
The Egyptian superstar is firing the Reds towards the Premier League title as the 32-year-old’s assist against Newcastle made it 30 goals and 22 assists for the winger across 39 games throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
Salah has shared why this is his best season at Liverpool and having been quiet throughout the first half against Newcastle, the Egypt captain turned on the style in the second 45 minutes with his assist and a series of passes with the outside of his boot.
Jamie Carragher has suggested that Salah will surpass Steven Gerrard’s legacy at Liverpool should he win the Ballon d’Or this year and in order to increase his chances, the winger will want to play every minute.
This might be about to change after Liverpool’s win over Newcastle as with the Reds 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League, a bigger focus may shift onto the Champions League.
Arne Slot could be set to rest Mohamed Salah
With the Premier League all but officially won, Liverpool could begin to focus on other competitions over the coming weeks as the Reds look to win both the Carabao Cup and Champions League.
Liverpool will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16 and given the Ligue 1 leaders form in 2025, that tie looks set to be a very tough clash for the Reds.
As a result, Salah could be rested for the Southampton game before the second leg, which might not be the only case in which Arne Slot decides to do this throughout the remainder of the campaign.
The 32-year-old has played a lot this season and is worth noting his minutes in Liverpool’s last eight games across 26 days in February: 88, 82, 0 (FA Cup), 90, 90, 90, 89, 90. The Newcastle match took his total for the 2024/25 campaign to 3310, with only Virgil van Dijk playing more.
Although Salah is supremely fit, this could take its toll when Liverpool least expect it, and the winger will not be happy if Slot takes him out of the starting 11 for any upcoming game for one key reason.
Mohamed Salah will have eyes on the 2025 Ballon d’Or
Slot recently commented on Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances as the Liverpool superstar is currently being viewed as the favourite to win the biggest individual prize in football.
The Egyptian faces tough competition with players such as Barcelona’s Raphinha and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, among others, in contention for the prize.
Salah has stated that individual awards don’t mean as much to him anymore with the Premier League being his main goal this season.
| Mo Salah’s 24/25 stats | Apps | Goals | Assists | Mins played |
| Premier League | 28 | 25 | 17 | 2485 |
| UEFA Champions League | 7 | 3 | 4 | 603 |
| EFL Cup | 4 | 2 | 1 | 222 |
| Overall | 39 | 30 | 22 | 3310 |
However, with the Ballon d’Or now being a possibility, that attitude may change as winning the award could redefine the 32-year-old’s legacy.
Every game provides Salah with a chance to boost his numbers, hence why he will not be happy about being rested during upcoming games.
Winning the Champions League would also increase the Liverpool star’s chances of lifting the Ballon d’Or in 2025, which is one way Slot could put it to him.